Choosing a Home Heating Oil Company for the Upcoming Winter

Winter is almost upon us. As it starts getting colder, it may be prompting you to start thinking about your suffolk county home heating oil options. Whether you need delivery to your home or office, you want to make sure you are getting the best pricing, value, and service for your hard earned money. If you are looking for quality services, here are some things to ask before choosing the cheapest heating oil company.

Do you offer payment programs?
Some home heating oil companies will offer payment programs. This can work in your favor especially if the price of oil goes up, you are able to lock in an affordable price. If you are on a budget and need to know exactly how much your bill will be every month, payment programs are a great alternative to inconsistent bills each month. You will most likely have to sign a contract with a payment plan, so read the fine print to ensure there are no additional fees added. If you don’t understand anything listed on the contract your oil delivery company should be able to explain it in detail.

What type of delivery options do you offer?
Oil companies usually give you a choice between automatic delivery and on-demand delivery for long island home heating oil. If you choose automatic delivery, you won’t have to be concerned about keeping track of how much oil you have or run out of oil at the wrong time; for instance, mid-shower and your water goes cold. If you are comfortable with calling for delivery and can pay each time your oil company delivers, then this option would be feasible. With on-demand delivery, it is best to make sure you don’t go any lower than ¼ tank of oil before calling.

What areas do you service?
Find out the areas that your oil company services and how often they deliver to your neighborhood. If you are in need of oil and they only deliver to your neighborhood one day per week, then you may need to call another oil company if you think you may need more service options. Some companies may charge an oil delivery fee if you request service on a day outside of their normal delivery schedule. Many oil companies also offer 24-hour emergency oil delivery service. Make sure you ask what the extra fees would be for emergency oil delivery.

What is your Better Business Bureau rating?
Your oil company should be aware of their Better Business Bureau rating. You can always check the BBB website online in your local area to find out more about the oil company you choose. You can also do further research online with such customer service review sites like Yelp and Google Reviews. You can find out if your oil delivery company is known for excellent customer service or if they are not so reliable. If the oil delivery service you want to use has too many negative ratings, it would be best to consider another company that services your area.